Cost of sludge drying has to be $231,000-plus

FPUD’s press release “Sludge Savings” [NCT, 6/7/08] stated, “The chemicals and natural gas needed to run the sludge drying equipment are expected to cost $75,000 year.”

What about manpower costs? Continuous operating plants need 4-1/7 operators for each weekly position for complete hourly coverage. Therefore, at least four FPUD (sludge drying) operators plus one supervisor are needed/week.

Using salaries of $15/hour for five positions, minimum yearly salary costs would be $156,000 plus sick leave and holiday pay. Add costs of retirement, medical/dental insurance, electric utilities, taxes, and plant maintenance.

FPUD’s total sludge drying costs far exceed $231,000/year ($75,000 plus $156,000-plus). Starting/stopping/operating batch processes also requires manpower. Either way costs ratepayers money.

My 12/28/01 Escondido water/sewer bill was $54.93. My FPUD water bills average $200/month. San Marcos, Vista, Oceanside water bills are reportedly lower than FPUD’s. I need information on how much. Help!

Fresno’s grape and tomato farmers irrigate by flooding their fields (no individual irrigation pipes installed). Sacramento’s rice farmers grow their crops in flooded fields under approximately two feet of water. FPUD is negotiating contracts with SDG&E’s power plant (Orange Grove Energy), located inside Rainbow Water’s service area, to supply 33.6 million gallons of potable (not reclaimed) water every year for 25 years for the new highway 76/17 developments.

Is there really a water shortage? After the 1991 drought, San Diego’s dummy water gurus’ only plan was to wait 17 years for another drought. Utilize seawater desalination, dummies.

Archie McPhee